This Is How Dennis Tito Plans to Send People to Mars

If Dennis Tito has his way, two people will leave our planet in January 2018 and make a trip to Mars and back. Tito will be footing much of the bill himself. This mission won’t stop at Mars, but rather, will do a quick flyby.

Unlike the spate of space commerce companies that have flashed on and off the news in recent months, this effort has substantial cash behind it - at the onset. Also, unlike these previously announced efforts, this is not being done by a company that needs to eventually return a profit to its investors. Instead, it is being spearheaded by a non-profit organization, the Inspiration Mars Foundation.

Tito’s mission will be facilitated by donors - not investors. And no, he will not be part of the crew.

Indeed, the intent of this mission, as contained in a media advisory is as follows: “This “Mission for America” will generate new knowledge, experience and momentum for the next great era of space exploration. It is intended to encourage all Americans to believe again, in doing the hard things that make our nation great, while inspiring youth through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and motivation.”

China of course. But seriously, 3.66 forward deployed Carrier Battle groups is way overkill. (For every deployed CVN you need 3, 1 in for refit, 1 in training, 1 deployed). We could go down to 6. Make them the 6 newer models to bring down TCO, and all is good.

If the US actually becomes an energy exporter, we can let the Chinese worry about the sea lanes out of the Gulf. Japan too.

Now if only those fancy new planes weren’t so expensive and temperamental.

The thing that kills me is we still have 5000 maintained M1 tanks. We don’t have enough divisions to use all of those! I haven’t really followed it that closely, it’s too depressing, but it seems they want to upgrade them all to an M1A3 type (I think its supposed to be lighter and air transportable). The Army keeps begging Congress to STOP this program, but nobody listens. Congress just wants to create jobs back in their districts.

They should instead fund NASA. It’ll change mindsets, rekindle the culture of Building Tomorrow, get students banging down the doors to become Scientists, Technologist, Engineers and Mathematicians. All the kinds of people we need if we are to expand the Economy, improve quality of Life and solve the great problems of today and tomorrow.

Seriously, where the hell are you going to deploy even one division of M1s? Are we going to invade Saudi Arabia?